His hair flew around his troubled face as he darted through the trees. His nose picking up the scent from nearby. That same damn smell again! What could he do to get rid of this retched creature! The stars and the moon were only visible in patches as he seemingly flew through the undergrowth. His senses heightened. She wouldn't sleep until they were all there together like some sort of a family.
He humped to that thought as he skidded to a halt and sniffed again thoughtfully. Some family. Three demons, a demon hunter, a Buddhist monk and a schoolgirl that lived in two different time periods. Yeah, that was the recipe for a happy well-adjusted family if he ever heard one! He rolled his eyes and took off again. Damn wolf should know to stay by the fire at night.
~~
Raven strands caressed her cheeks as she paced angrily by the fire. It wasn't bad enough he had stalked her until he was allowed to join the group. It wasn't bad enough he kept telling her he loved her. He had to go and vanish like this and make her worry about him. He and Inuyasha were more alike than they liked to think. Sure being Demon or half Demon as the case may be made them harder to hurt – but damn it--it was still possible.
Her eyes narrowed as she looked out into the deep darkness that surrounded her fire and felt a kitsune land on her shoulder and lay his cheek against hers.
"If they get hurt can I sell tickets when you kick their butts?" he asked conversationally.
"I'll even let you and Miroku set up a bet on with anyone who is interested." She said with a weary smile.
~~
His tail twitched angrily as he raced ahead of the mutt. She had taken his side today and he needed to run off some anger. And now she had sent search parties out after him? How was he supposed to respond to that? His nose twitched. And he sent a glare behind right as the hanyou appeared through the underbrush.
"Get away from me mutt."
"Get your many flea ridden butt back to the fire. She is worried about you. Why I don't know."
"Because she is my woman and that is her job."
The silver haired hanyou glared at the wolf in front of him, "If I didn't think it would be enough for her to oswari me for a week I would kill you and tell her you met an unfortunate demise. And for your own safety I wouldn't let her hear you say it like that."
~~
Kagome heard them yelling before she saw them. She sent Shippou a look and grinned half-heartedly. This was going to be a long night. Now if only Kouga would sleep at someone else's feet tonight she might be able to post=pone bloodshed. She sighed and stood, placing her hands on her hips and tried her best to look annoyed instead of relieved.
"Will the two of you EVER shut up?" she snapped going over and smacking Kouga and then doing the same to Inuyasha, "Shippou act more mature than you do!"
Kouga and Inuyasha glared at each other and then there was a new sigh from behind them, "So the annoying ones finally found their way home. You know Kagome there was another reason my people hunted demons, so we could SLEEP."
"I agree with Sango-sama. I say we bind them somehow and sleep." Came the weary voice of the monk as he joined his reluctant searching partner.
"Bind them? Bind them... that's it! Sango tomorrow may I borrow Kiara?" Kagome asked excitedly turning to face one of her dearest friends with a twinkle in her eyes for the first time in awhile.
"You know you don't have to ask. Going home?" Sango asked settling into her blankets for some sleep.
"Something like that…" Kagome said with a secretive smile that turned triumphant as she looked at the two demons in front of her, "Ready for bed Shippou?"
"Yes Kagome!" came the excited reply.
"I don't like that look in her eyes Mutt Boy." Kouga said his eyes following ever move she made.
"Neither do I…and I know that look batter than you do." Inuyasha said with one last look before leaping into the trees for the rest of the night, "Think you can go a few hours without wondering off wolf? Or should I chain you by the fire?"
"Oswari!"
THUD
"Kagome dammit! I was in the middle of a leap…one day you are going to break me and then what will you do?" Inuyasha growled leaping back up towards his branch.
"See if I can find your warranty. Surely hanyou come with a guarantee of some kind…" was her drowsy answer.
~~
Kagome made sure she and Kiara were the first to rise in the morning. She wrote Sango a note and the two of them slipped away. Her smile was as cocky as it had been the night before as she and Kiara made their way back to Kaede. Inuyasha was bound to her. And if she had to have another annoying demon with an attitude stalking her around the Feudal Era of Japan – damned if she wanted him to feel superior to Inuyasha.
She groaned and rested her head on Kiara as they charged through the early morning sunlight. This was really getting silly. Here she was trying to figure out a way to bind Kouga to her. Kouga of all people. The same person that had kidnapped her and made her 'his woman' not so long ago. In fact she was still 'his woman' if you asked him. If you asked Inuyasha she wasn't ANYONE'S woman – but HIS. When he wanted her to be.
"Kiara – be thankful you are a demonic cat. Hanyou and Youkai are just too bizarre to be a love-triangle with." Kagome said, and felt and heard the answering purr from deep within Kiara.
~~
Sango was awakened by two mimicking growls that sounded annoyingly close to her. Reacting on gut instinct and before even opening her eyes, "Step away you two – I will read the note in a minute."
"How did you know there was a note?" Kouga demanded huffily.
"When isn't there a note? At least for me. See she LIKES me – and I am not driving her insane constantly. So there!" she muttered sitting up and stretching. She blinked several times and had to choke back a grin at the sight in front of her. Kagome, you missed this! THIS you have go to hear about later!
Miroku was attempting to cook some of that ramen Kagome was always bringing back with her. Inuyasha was 'helping' by yelling insults down from his newly acquired perch on a branch. Shippou was sitting on Inuyasha's shoulder and helping him glare menacingly at Kouga. Who seemed oblivious to everything – except for Sango and her note. She stretched again and slowly slid the seal open…
Sango~ I am sorry to leave you with the note I am sure they will be bugging you over till I return. It was one of the few less painful ways of getting out of there this morning. I am on my way to see Kaede. Let's just say I had a moment last night and everything became less foggy.
~Kagome
"She says she will be back in a few days." Sango called out to everyone else. Kouga sent a glare over at Inuyasha. Shippou glared at both of the older demons and went to sit by Sango, who was simply highly amused by the entire turn of events.
"So she gets to take a day off whenever she wants to? And Inuyasha you aren't going to say anything? Well this MUST be her lucky day." Miroku teased taking a seat between the warring demons, but where he could still see Sango. After all, why just sit when you could sit with beautiful scenery? But if she thought he was ogling her – he would get hit – no questions asked.
~~
"Ye wants to know the incantation for the rosary that hangs around Inuyasha's neck? Whatever for child?" Kaede said in slight confusion, her brow furrowed in thought.
"Well, see now instead of one arrogant doglike demon I have two. And I don't want to take the beads off of Inuyasha yet, but it is causing conflict. So I want to put a rosary on the other one as well – even the plying field a little. Plus, the new one tends to wander after dark, causing everyone else to go and look for him." Kagome said sitting by the fire, letting her eyes gaze sightlessly into the dancing flame.
Kaede smiled into her tea and then trained her features into those of the thoroughly non-informed, "I see child. I think you are strong enough now to use the incantation it is very simple. But are ye sure child you want it? To have two of them under your words?"
"Yeah, not the best of situations I admit. They are both stubborn and arrogant and one thinks I am his woman. But in order to keep the peace – I think it must be done." Kagome said with a tired sigh. Her head lolled to one side and her eyes met Kaede's, "I am so tired of conflict."
"And yet it seems to follow you wherever you go. I will write it down for you child. If it brings any peace to our life at all I will feel I have helped." Kaede said with a smile as she reached for paper, quill and ink.
"That would be wonderful. Thank you. Unless you wanted to demon-sit for the rest of us…make them weed your garden." Kagome said with faint hope in her voice.
"Methinks they would be safer with you. And like either Kouga or Inuyasha would let ye out of their sight for that long." Kaede said with a knowing smile.
"And methinks they both need … SOMETHING. Professional help? Anger management class's maybe? Learning to SHARE!?!" Kagome muttered annoyed as she made a rosary necklace similar to Inuyasha's for Kouga. Her eyes darkening as she vented on the helpless beads and fangs and the leather cording she was using.
Kaede looked at her with amusement, "I told ye that having two of them would be stressful."
"I know you did. I appreciate it too. IU wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think it would help the situation. Inuyasha has enough inferiority as it is right now without adding this to it. Besides – when he wants to be Kouga is worse than Inuyasha on a bad day." Kagome said with a wry grin at the elderly miko.
"Ye can not be serious?"
"Oh, ye is dead serious. Ugh."
~~
Kouga looked around at everyone in the camp warily. He was fully aware that only his friendship with Kagome gave him entrance to this odd band of warriors and without her here there was nothing preventing them from getting rid of him. Inuyasha's eyes gleamed and he knew that was precisely what the damn mutt face wanted to do.
"Since his protector isn't here I say we leave the wimpy wolf behind and make up some time we lost." Inuyasha said with a smirk getting up from his spot by the fire, "I am going to find Kagome and meet you all on the trail all right?"
"Who says you get to go and find her mutt boy? She is MY mate!" Kouga said huffily glaring at the silver haired hanyou is disgust.
"I said so. And since I have the bigger sword and am better at protecting her – I get to go. Simple logic." Inuyasha taunted him.
There was a rush of wind and small glowing objects flew with amazing speed to link around Kouga's neck.
"What the hell…?"
"Heel!"
And Kouga was prostrate on the ground…having been drawn to it face first. Inuyasha looked at him and then at the direction the beads had come from.
"Looks like we are both screwed there Wolfie." He said with a wry grin on his lips.
"What the hell is this?" Kouga snarled getting to his feet and tugging at the bead that seemed to glow and mock him in the early morning sunlight.
"It's a prayer rosary. Not dissimilar to the one around Inuyasha's neck." Came Kagome's voice as she and Kirara entered the clearing.
"And they are around my neck why?" Kouga said snarling at her, his dark eyes swirling pools of anger and frustration.
"Kouga – I though you WANTED to be bound to me. Isn't that what you are always saying?" Kagome said with an over innocent smile and wide eyes. Inuyasha rolled his at this blatant display. Anyone could see she was laying it on thick.
"This wasn't what I had in mind…" Kouga muttered with a dark look in her direction. Then his eyes lightened. He would show that mutt up yet, "But practical. How better to learn how to please my mate after correct?"
~~
AN2: Okay I officially dedicate this story to Caroline. She is the person who first got me hooked on Anime. She got me into Sailor Moon, Full Metal Panic, Evangelion, and now Inuyasha. She is the reason I am writing this story. Thank you Caroline for being my rock through everything.